Trump Ends Federal DEI Programs, Targets LGBTQ+ Rights in Executive Orders

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Within 24 hours of taking office on January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump issued two executive orders aimed at dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in the federal government and rolling back LGBTQ+ rights. The orders mark a sharp reversal from the policies of the Biden administration, which had prioritized building a federal workforce reflective of the nation’s diversity.

The first executive order, titled ‘Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service,’ calls for a complete overhaul of federal hiring practices. It emphasizes merit-based hiring and prohibits the consideration of race, sex, or religion in employment decisions. The order also seeks to eliminate DEI initiatives, including diversity officers, targeted recruitment, and employee resource groups.

‘American citizens deserve an excellent and efficient Federal workforce that attracts the highest caliber of civil servants,’ the order states. It criticizes previous hiring practices as ‘broken, insular, and outdated,’ arguing that they no longer focus on merit or dedication to the Constitution.

The second executive order declares that the U.S. government will recognize only two genders, male and female, and mandates that passports and visas reflect sex based on reproductive biology. The policy also prohibits the use of taxpayer funds for gender transition healthcare and enforces privacy in single-sex spaces such as prisons and shelters.

Trump’s announcement came on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a timing that drew criticism from civil rights advocates. Greg Carr, an Afro-American studies professor at Howard University, condemned the comparison, stating, ‘The vision of Martin Luther King Jr. was diametrically opposed to the policies being enacted today.’

Critics argue that the orders will undermine efforts to create a more inclusive government. Everett Kelley, President of the American Federation of Government Employees, warned that dismantling DEI programs would ‘undermine the merit-based civil service’ and erode progress in closing gender and racial pay gaps.

The Trump administration has yet to clarify how the new policies will be enforced, particularly for transgender, nonbinary, and intersex individuals. The Department of Homeland Security referred inquiries to the White House, which has not provided further details.

These executive orders follow a broader trend among corporations scaling back DEI initiatives. Companies like Amazon have recently ended internal programs aimed at increasing diversity in hiring, citing a shift toward ‘winding down outdated programs.’

The Biden administration had previously championed DEI efforts, emphasizing recruitment from underserved communities, including people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, and those formerly incarcerated. Trump’s orders signal a stark departure from these policies, reigniting debates over equity, inclusion, and the role of government in promoting social justice.